Storm plug packer system and method

Abstract

A storm plug packer apparatus and method for securely and reversibly packing a cased well, allowing removal of the drill string above the plug in circumstances such as evacuation ahead of a storm, and resumption of drilling operations afterward, and allows operations by other tools that need to be temporarily fixed to the inside of the casing. Transfer balls are arrayed radially about the circumference of an outer sleeve, recessed in mounting holes behind ball-retainer rings and deformable membranes, and accommodated by troughs in an inner sleeve in an unset state. In a set state, the inner sleeve moves downward in relation to the outer sleeve, and the crenated, ramped axial profile of the inner sleeve pushes the transfer balls outwards, against the deformable membranes and in turn against the inside of the well casing, fixing the storm plug packer and all tools below it in place.

I claim: 
     
       1. A storm plug packer for use on a drill string in a casing, and having an up-hole and down-hole orientation, the storm plug packer comprising:
 (i) an outer sleeve having a normal circumference providing a close but unrestricted fit within the casing, and having a mounting point at a down-hole end for attachment to down-hole components of the drill string; 
 (ii) a plurality of mounting holes arrayed radially through the circumference of said outer sleeve; 
 (iii) a plurality of transfer balls accommodated one each in said mounting holes such that said transfer ball does not extend radially beyond the normal circumference of said outer sleeve; 
 (iv) a plurality of ball-retainer rings each adapted to allow said transfer ball to partially extend beyond the normal circumference of said outer sleeve, and to prevent said transfer ball from completely exiting said mounting hole; 
 (v) a plurality of deformable membranes each adapted to cover said transfer ball; 
 (vi) an inner sleeve having a crenated axial profile, having radial bands each comprising at a down-hole portion a trough corresponding to the size of said transfer balls and at an up-hole portion a ramped gradual increase in circumference up to a maximum circumference allowing sliding within said outer sleeve, having on an up-hole portion a stepped reduction in circumference forming an outer shoulder, and having a mounting point on an up-hole end for attachment to up-hole components of the drill string; and 
 (vii) a guide-retainer ring having an outer surface adapted to mount upon said outer sleeve, having an inner surface adapted to allow sliding movement of said inner sleeve, and having a down-hole surface adapted to serve as an inner shoulder upon said outer sleeve; 
 where, in use, in an un-set state, when the drill string places an upward force on said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve slides upward within said outer sleeve to the limit of contact between the outer shoulder of said inner sleeve and the inner shoulder of said guide-retainer ring and said outer sleeve, where said transfer balls are accommodated within the troughs of said inner sleeve, and where said transfer balls do not extend beyond the normal circumference of said outer sleeve; 
 where, in use, in a set state, when the drill string does not place an upward force on said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve slides downward within said outer sleeve, placing the gradual increased circumference portions of said inner sleeve in contact with said transfer balls, forcing said transfer balls radially outward, to the limit of said ball-retainer rings, against said deformable membranes, and past the normal circumference of said outer sleeve into frictional contact with the casing, thereby setting said storm plug packer and attached down-hole components in fixed positions within the casing; and 
 where, in use, upon re-application of an upward force to said inner sleeve, returning to an un-set state, said inner sleeve slides back into the position allowing said transfer balls to retract into the troughs of said inner sleeve, thereby unsetting said storm plug packer, allowing movement of the drill string. 
 
     
     
       2. The storm plug packer of  claim 1 , where said deformable membranes are made of rubber. 
     
     
       3. The storm plug packer of  claim 1 , where said deformable membranes are made of silicone material. 
     
     
       4. The storm plug packer of  claim 1 , where said transfer balls are made of steel. 
     
     
       5. The storm plug packer of  claim 1 , where said transfer balls are made of a non-sparking material. 
     
     
       6. The storm plug packer of  claim 1 , where said transfer balls are made of brass. 
     
     
       7. The storm plug packer of  claim 1 , where said guide-retainer ring is made of a non-sparking material. 
     
     
       8. The storm plug packer of  claim 1 , further comprising manufacture of said transfer balls from non-sparking materials. 
     
     
       9. The storm plug packer of  claim 1 , further comprising fifty of said transfer balls. 
     
     
       10. The storm plug packer of  claim 1 , where each said radial band further comprises ten said mounting holes radially arrayed. 
     
     
       11. A storm plug packer method for use on a drill string in a casing, and having an up-hole and down-hole orientation, the storm plug packer method comprising:
 (i) providing a storm plug packer apparatus, comprising:
 (a) an outer sleeve having a normal circumference providing a close but unrestricted fit within the casing, and having a mounting point at a down-hole end for attachment to down-hole components of the drill string; 
 (b) a plurality of mounting holes arrayed radially through the circumference of said outer sleeve; 
 (c) a plurality of transfer balls accommodated one each in said mounting holes such that said transfer ball does not extend radially beyond the normal circumference of said outer sleeve; 
 (d) a plurality of ball-retainer rings each adapted to allow said transfer ball to partially extend beyond the normal circumference of said outer sleeve, and to prevent said transfer ball from completely exiting said mounting hole; 
 (e) a plurality of deformable membranes each adapted to cover said transfer ball; 
 (f) an inner sleeve having a crenated axial profile, having radial bands each comprising at a down-hole portion a trough corresponding to the size of said transfer balls and at an up-hole portion a ramped gradual increase in circumference up to a maximum circumference allowing sliding within said outer sleeve, having on an up-hole portion a stepped reduction in circumference forming an outer shoulder, and having a mounting point on an up-hole end for attachment to up-hole components of the drill string; and 
 (g) a guide-retainer ring having an outer surface adapted to mount upon said outer sleeve, having an inner surface adapted to allow sliding movement of said inner sleeve, and having a down-hole surface adapted to serve as an inner shoulder upon said outer sleeve; 
 
 (ii) using said storm plug packer in an un-set state where, when the drill string places an upward force on said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve slides upward within said outer sleeve to the limit of contact between the outer shoulder of said inner sleeve and the inner shoulder of said guide-retainer ring and said outer sleeve, where said transfer balls are accommodated within the troughs of said inner sleeve, and where said transfer balls do not extend beyond the normal circumference of said outer sleeve; 
 (iii) using said storm plug packer in a set state where, when the drill string does not place an upward force on said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve slides downward within said outer sleeve, placing the gradual increased circumference portions of said inner sleeve in contact with said transfer balls, forcing said transfer balls radially outward, to the limit of said ball-retainer rings, against said deformable membranes, and past the normal circumference of said outer sleeve into frictional contact with the casing, thereby setting said storm plug packer and attached down-hole components in fixed positions within the casing; and 
 (iv) returning said storm plug packer to an un-set state where, upon re-application of an upward force to said inner sleeve, said inner sleeve slides back into the position allowing said transfer balls to retract into the troughs of said inner sleeve, thereby unsetting said storm plug packer, allowing movement of the drill string. 
 
     
     
       12. The storm plug packer method of  claim 11 , where said deformable membranes are made of rubber. 
     
     
       13. The storm plug packer method of  claim 11 , where said deformable membranes are made of silicone material. 
     
     
       14. The storm plug packer method of  claim 11 , where said transfer balls are made of steel. 
     
     
       15. The storm plug packer method of  claim 11 , where said transfer balls are made of a non-sparking material. 
     
     
       16. The storm plug packer method of  claim 11 , where said transfer balls are made of brass. 
     
     
       17. The storm plug packer method of  claim 11 , where said guide-retainer ring is made of a non-sparking material. 
     
     
       18. The storm plug packer method of  claim 11 , where said storm plug packer apparatus further comprises manufacture of said transfer balls from non-sparking materials. 
     
     
       19. The storm plug packer method of  claim 11 , where said storm plug packer apparatus further comprises fifty of said transfer balls. 
     
     
       20. The storm plug packer method of  claim 11 , where each said radial band further comprises ten said mounting holes radially arrayed.